naturals: how did you get through your first winter

[chebaby]

this is my first winter being natural and i see its gonna be a problem if i dont nip it in the bud.

do you think your first winter was har? if so why or why not

what did you do that made all the difference?

once you got past your first winter did all the rest seem so easy?

 

[Whimsy]

THis is going to be my first 100% natural winter (i've had 2 transitioning winters though)

I'm getting through it by:

cowashing and DCing weekly (hopefully)
Moisturizing and oil sealing each evening.
bunning a lot if i can

 

[BeetleBug]

Last year was my first winter and it wasn't hard at all. I just kept my hair in moisturized twists under a slouchy beret. This winter should be just as easy.

 

[La Colocha]

My first winter natural was very hard, and what helped me was to moisturize everday with avocado butter and that helped alot. This year i upped my moisture early and i never let my hair dry out on purpose. I moisturize everynight wether i feel like it or not and its helping. Also when i go out i always cover my hair with a slik scarf and then a winter hat. I never go out in the cold air with my hair uncovered. Hth

 

[NaturallyGraceful]

It was hard not being able to cowash like I wanted. I either had to wake up earlier to allow time to sit under a warm dryer or wear a hat or half wig.
Fortunately, winters are pretty mild in SE Texas.
By the second winter I could at least wear twists, so yes the 1st winter was harder.

 

[chebaby]

i might start mxing avocado butter with my shea butter.

 

[Deszdamona]

This twa is pretty easy for winter--I just can't wait until I can bun or even ponytail

 

[Filmatic]

I have been lazy. This is my first natural winter. I really think Crisco has been helping me. My hair moisture is at it's best since I've been natural. I am not cwing daily though I miss it. I also upped my overnight DCs. That helps too. I have oils added to everything.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

I wore an afro with a headband... that was the limit of my styling efforts. When I went out, I made sure to wear a pure silk scarf under a winter hat. I never let those arctic winds blow on my hair.

I used my moisturizing products whenever my hair felt dry. Seems to have worked fine.

 

[ryanshope]

This is my first winter as a natch..and nope..hasn't been a problem at all. I wear my hair in afro puffs, twists or twist outs(very boring). I work two afro puffs ala Rudy Huxtable today and it was adorable!!



Mmmh..I don't know what to say--Im in Europe right now and I use Rusk Deep Shine on a regular(like 3 times a week) and I deep condition over night on the weekends. Being natural has been a breeze...wash, twist, repeat. If I don't make time to do my hair--I put on a wig and K.I.M...

Hopefully someone has some good tips for ya!!

 

[MonPetite]

I wash n' go all (midwestern) winter long. My hair doesn't seem to mind so long as it is only 20% damp and it is at least slightly above freezing. When it is below freezing, my hair may be slightly damp, but I pop on a beanie.

 

[purplepeace79]

Braids
Moisture
Braids
Moisture
Braids
Moisture

 

[mkd]

i might start mxing avocado butter with my shea butter.

Che, I love that mix. Try it

 

[CarLiTa]

first winter as a natural. i need to up the moisture! my hair is full of single-strand knots. I'm going to have to cut those out one by one.

I think I'm going to start getting twists.

 

[Lola Laughs]

I can usually be lazy and WNG all summer through earyl winter given warm weather and humidity in atl. But now==moisturize with shea butter, seal with coconut oil, spritz with a wee bit h20 and twist. Dry over night, twist out in the morning.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Although I'm Not Natural................

This is a Great Thread Che!

Excellent Tips even for Relaxed Heads that are Stretching this Winter.

Thanks Ladies!

 

[empressri]

qhemet biologics, vatika oil, regular ole coconut oil, deep condition religiously!

 

[ParagonTresses]

My first winter natural as well. Steaming, weekly DC, moisturizing with Quemet's heavy cream/Curl Junkie's Deep fix (left in) and two strand twists have all made my hair happy this winter.

 

[shortycocoa]

Hey ladies! My first winter natural in December '05 was ok...I don't know if I would classify it as hard or easy. Since I didn't have much hair to protective style, (less than an inch all around) I mostly kept it moisturized and washed a few times a week. Cantu leave-in, VO5 hot oil treatments, and the TRESemmé deep quench conditioning treatment, (which I revisited this past winter) stay-sof-fro (only for a hot minute) got me through my first winter natural.

I also made sure I was only washing at night so that my hair would have time to dry. Then all I would have to do is fluff my hair out or dampen and apply a little bit of Cantu to make it look decent.
So after writing all this, I guess I would call it easy since styling didn't take long and detangling was also a breeze and my hair would dry in 20-30 minutes, tops. Now....not so much. It's definitely more challenging.

Good luck to all you ladies that are newly natural/transitioning/stretching with your winter routines! I also agree this is a great supportive thread that can help others find their way.

 

[curlydrea]

I cut my hair to a TWA in Dec 08. So there wasnt much for me to do but wash and go. I would co wash with v05, and towel dry then apply leave-in and IC gel. My hair would be dry by the time i left the house for school.

This winter is the 1st now that i actually have hair... i will be protective styling. Rite now my hair is flat ironed, i keep it in 2 french braids. When i wash this out this weekend i will be putting in twist extensions the following week.

I notice my hair is getting dry so i already got a fresh trim (after 7 months) and i moisturize with my whipped shea butter (coconut oil, vitamin e, aloe vera and glycerin).

 

[IDareT'sHair]

GREAT THREAD......

Wanted to Bump!

 

[Foufie]

very helpful thread. I will be DC'ing tonight! THanks OP. Oh and I am going to Macy"s to get a 100% silk scarf to go under my hats

 

[chebaby]

i havent used heat to deep condition in so long. i will be doing this now maybe twice a week.

 

[mscocoface]

I did the protective style of half wigs and extension twists.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Please Report Back on How DC'ing Twice A Week with Heat is Helping your Hair during these next few Colder Months.

 

[purplepeace79]

For those naturals who wish to avoid direct heat via blowdrying or hooded dryers, try warming up your DC (for about 30-45 seconds in the microwave) before combing it through and wrap in a shower cap and towel. I have started doing this and found that the DC penetrates way better and I don't have to sit under a dryer.

 

[tailormade84]

Protected my ends of my hair like they were the ends of my telomeres....

1. heavy moisturizing (weekly washing, shea butter, satin cap at allll times)
2. wigs (to cover the fact that i was wearing a satin cap at allll times lol)

this winter im trying to hide my ends with hats and phony ponys....

 

[TemiLnd]

Im keeping my hair locked away in braids and twists. The weather in England is super cold!! My hair will dry out!! So this 1st winter will be braids and protective styles for me.

 

[ResultsMayVary]

Lace front wigs made it easy for me
cornrowed under the wig,
wore a silk durag to protect my hair from rubbing the wig,
co-washed the cornrows every few days,
dc'ed or protein treatments once a week/when it was time to re-do the cornrows,
that was it ..

This winter I am doing the same thing, I retained a lot from this method

 

[PrincessLinzz]

In high school bunned my hair and put a fake pony tail on and bunned that as well. Then went back to el crack de creme.

7 years ago, wash and go and bun/regular visits to the salon.